Drinks by the Sea

So we all have noticed that the summer season has opened in Barcelona and so have the numerous beach bars! The beach areas in downtown Barcelona are getting more and more crowded and touristy and even in a great city like ours it can be difficult to find a nice and relaxing place to sit down to enjoy a drink, the sun and the Mediterranean atmosphere without too much hustle and bustle. That's why we have created a list of our favourite beach bars and chiringuitos with a laid back vibe! We hope you enjoy it!

But first, a bit of history ;) :

The beach bars in Spain are usually called chiringuito, which means basically the same, except that they tend to be open only on the summer season. Due to their privileged localization and the high amount of taxes they need to pay, the chiringuitos are not the cheapest option for a drink but they are definitely worth a try when visiting Barcelona and hoping to experience a glimpse of the Spanish (or Catalan :P) beach culture.

The origin of the word chiringuito comes from the workers of the sugarcane plantations in Cuba in the nineteenth century. During their hard working days, they used to drink coffee, which they prepared by pressing an average full of this substance, from which came a fine jet of liquid which they called chiringo.

During the time they created the diminutive that ended up designating the improvised kiosks, made usually with reeds and leaves, in which they took their rest and their daily coffee. In 1913, El Chiringuito was opened, a bar on the beach of Sitges. The intellectual César González Ruano, who used to write there daily, was the one that baptized the place like homage to its trips by the island of Cuba. From that moment the use of the word spread to the present and now the word chiringuito is known all over Spain!

And here comes the list of our favourite chiringuitos and beach bars in Barcelona! Vamos al chiringuito!

Chiringuito Baobab & Chiringuito Natura

These two relaxed chiringuitos are located on the last beaches of Barcelona, playa de Levant (Baobab) and Marbella (Natura), which means they are not usually as crowded as the ones located in more famous Barceloneta. These bars are the best for having a cup of coffee or maybe a cocktail but you can also check their menú for some snacks and tapas. In the middle of the high season you probably can't avoid at least some random groups of noisy and drunken tourists but we think you have better chances of avoiding them here, specially during the week and before July and August. These places are also nice for a break after a shopping day in the nearby Diagonal Mar shopping centre!

 Chiringuito Las Sardinitas

This chiringuito with a very mediterranean vibe has a beautiful terrace with colorful chairs, tables and lamps and a perfect view to the sea. They serve great fresh seafood (try sardinitas a la brasa aka fried sardinas!) as well as paella. Don't forget to also try their delicious speciality, sangría de cava! Las Sardinitas is located right in Platja de la Nova Icária, on the street just up the beach.

 

Vitaminas del Mar

You can find this beach bar on the Moll del Gregal just before the Nova Icaria beach (you can see straight there if you sit outside like on the pic). Although the food is not maybe the best quality of the world the cocktails are so far the cheapest we have found in the area! With a little less than 6e you can enjoy a margarita, mojito or daiquirí with a fantastic sea view in a relatively calm area so we definitely find it a great deal!

The Coconut Club

This Caribbean style beach bar is right under the fish sculpture before the Somorrostro beach. It's in the same area where you can find all the famous and fancy nightclubs like Pacha and Opium. They serve fresh coconut water for 5 euros (in the picture) and also expensive but worth-the-price and well elaborated cocktails. If you are hungry try some of their exotic Caribbean plates or their tropical brunch! In the night it turns into a nightclub crowded with surfers and international party animals.

The Surf House

The Surf House is a classic of the beach bars of Barcelona. It's located right in the busy Barceloneta and it has a Californian vibe and an abundant variety of fresh and healthy drinks and food. During the weekend they use to have long queues so its better to pick some other day of the week! They also have a shop of their brand and they organize activities like surf and paddle surf classes. Just check their website here: www.surfhousebarcelona.com

The terrace of Salt Restaurant & Beach club

We picked up this place for the list basically for it's lovely chill out terrace with a beautiful view over the coast of Barcelona! You can literally bury your toes in the sand while enjoying one of their summery cocktails or innovative hamburgers! If you are on a tight budget, it´s probably better to avoid it though. You can find it on the end of the Paseo de Barceloneta, just in front of the vail shaped Hotel W. On the weekends, from Friday to Sunday, they have chillout DJ sessions that take you to an imagination ride to a perfect Ibiza experience!

Fit bar

Of course one of the best ways to enjoy the sea with a drink is by making it simple! Just grab a take away smoothie from this lovely little stand and go to find a perfect spot on the sand! Fit bar serves a great variety of healthy smoothies as well as the popular super food, extremely healthy Brazilian açaí, yummy!

And the last words and news! On the 27th of May, just recently, the world famous Café del Mar, originally from Ibiza, has opened its biggest establishment of the whole world right in Port Vell of Barcelona! This has probably been the most important opening of the year in Barcelona and beach bar enthusiasts like us are very excited to test it out so stay tuned! ;)

Love,

Sofia and Kristiina in Barcelona